1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic document feeder mounted on an image processor such as a copying machine, a facsimile, or an image reader and so adapted as to feed an original from which an image is to be read by the image processor to a reading section of the image processor and return the original from which the image has been read to a tray and an original platen.
2. Description of Related Arts
An automatic document feeder mounted on a copying machine, for example, and so adapted as to automatically feed an original set on an original platen to a transparent platen of the copying machine and then return the original to a tray and the original platen has been conventionally known.
In this type of the automatic document feeder, the originals set on the original platen are fed to a conveying path by feeding means including a conveying roller, for example. The originals (a bundle of originals) fed are separated one at a time by separating means including a pair of upper and lower separating rollers with a conveying path interposed therebetween, and only the lowermost original is further fed to a conveying path on the downstream side of the separating means.
The conveying roller and the separating rollers are consumable components. When a predetermined time period has elapsed, maintenance such as replacement of the consumable components with new components is performed.
However, the conventional automatic document feeder is so adapted as to open an endless-shaped conveying belt and a conveying unit including its driving mechanism which are opposite to a transparent platen in the main body of the copying machine and its driving mechanism from the lower surface of the main body of the automatic document feeder and remove and mount the conveying roller and the separating rollers from below the main body in order to replace the conveying roller and the separating rollers.
The maintenance work from below the automatic document feeder has conventionally been difficult to perform as mentioned above. Further, in order to open the conveying unit, work for releasing the connection between the conveying unit and a driving mechanism is required. As a result, it takes a lot of time and labor to perform maintenance such as replacement of the conveying roller and the separating rollers, combined with the fact that the work is performed from below.